Firstly, a massive thank you to our Patreon supporters. Your generosity touches me deeply. These supporters have become the single biggest contributing factor to the survival of DVDBeaver. Your assistance has become essential.
What do Patrons receive, that you don't?
1)
Our
weekly
Newsletter
sent to your Inbox every
Monday morning!
Please consider keeping us in existence with a couple of dollars or more each month (your pocket change!) so we can continue to do our best in giving you timely, thorough reviews, calendar updates and detailed comparisons. Thank you very much. |
Search DVDBeaver |
S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
Directed by Roger Corman
USA 1963
The legendary “Triumvirate of Terror”—Vincent Price (Scream and Scream Again), Peter Lorre (The Comedy of Terrors) and Boris Karloff (The Crimson Cult)—star in this twisted tale of sorcery most fowl! Director Roger Corman (The Tomb of Ligeia) and screenwriter Richard Matheson (The Last Man on Earth) deliver a tongue-in-cheek take on Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous poem. Dr. Craven (Price), the son of a great sorcerer (now dead), was once himself quite skilled at that profession, but has since abandoned it. One evening, a cowardly fool of a magician named Bedlo (Lorre) comes to Craven for help—the evil Scarabus (Karloff) has turned him into a raven and he needs someone to change him back. He also tells the reluctant wizard that Craven’s long-lost wife Lenore (Hazel Court, The Premature Burial), whom he loved greatly and thought dead, is living with the despised Scarabus. Featuring Jack Nicholson (Prizzi’s Honor) in an early screen role, this Corman-Poe classic about two wizards dueling for magical supremacy is utterly bewitching! *** Although Roger Corman narrowly managed to avoid self-mockery in his pulpy, flamboyant adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe tales, it appears that the director chose this opportunity to let loose with outright parody; the result is a wonderfully entertaining romp with tongue planted firmly in cheek. The first screen teaming of legendary horror stars Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, and Peter Lorre -- later billed as "The Triumvirate of Terror" -- this so-called "adaptation" uses Poe's most famous poem as a springboard for Grand Guignol comedy from scriptwriter Richard Matheson. Melancholy magician Erasmus Craven (Price), having recently relinquished his membership in the Brotherhood of Sorcerers after the apparent death of his wife Lenore (Hazel Court), is paid a visit by a foul-mouthed talking raven, claiming to be small-time wizard Adolphus Bedlo (Lorre). After some persuasion, Craven returns Bedlo to human form, reversing a spell placed by the evil Dr. Scarabus (Karloff), Craven's chief rival. After learning that a woman bearing a strong likeness to Lenore was seen in the Doctor's company, Craven accompanies Bedlo to Scarabus' castle, where the resulting battle of wills escalates into all-out magical warfare between the two embittered sorcerers. Corman and company relished the opportunity to poke fun at the staid Poe series, and the distinguished leads contribute to the spirit of fun by lampooning their own cinematic reputations. Fans of Jack Nicholson (who cut his acting teeth on this and other AIP productions) should enjoy his melodramatic performance here as Bedlo's straight-arrow son; Nicholson would later co-star with Karloff in Corman's The Terror, which was shot in two days using the same sets. |
Posters and one Comic Book
Theatrical Release: January 25th, 1963
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Box Cover |
|
|
OUR REVIEW: |
Bonus Captures: |
|
Distribution | Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray | Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:26:06.202 | 1:26:03.324 |
Video |
2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 42,851,881,669 bytesFeature: 26,812,681,152 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.96 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 31,586,523,133 bytesFeature: 26,960,369,664 bytes Video Bitrate: 37.90 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
||
Bitrate DVD: |
|
|
Bitrate Blu-ray: |
|
|
Audio |
LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Isolated Score: LPCM Audio Undetermined 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit |
DTS-HD Master
Audio English 1560 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1560 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 /
48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps |
Subtitles | English, None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Arrow
2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 42,851,881,669 bytesFeature: 26,812,681,152 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.96 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • Peter Lorre: The Double Face, Harun Farocki's 1984 documentary, subtitled in English for the first time (1:01:21) • An interview with the legendary novelist and screenwriter Richard Matheson (6:35) • An interview with Roger Corman about making The Raven and the comedy in the film (8:11) • The Trick, a short film about rival magicians by Rob Green (The Bunker) (12;19) • Promotional Record (5:41) • Stills and Poster Gallery • Theatrical Trailer (2:27)
Custom Blu-ray Case inside slipcase Chapters 9 |
Release Information: Studio: Kino
2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 31,586,523,133 bytesFeature: 26,960,369,664 bytes Video Bitrate: 37.90 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian David Del Valle• Corman’s Comedy of Poe: An Interview with Producer/Director Roger Corman (8:13) • Richard Matheson: Storyteller (6:37) • TRAILERS FROM HELL with Mick Garris (2:50) • Theatrical Trailer (2:29) • Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase
Standard Blu-ray Case inside slipcase Chapters 9 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
NOTE: We have added 50 more large
resolution Blu-ray captures
(in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE
On their
Blu-ray,
Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel (16-bit) in the
original English language. It is eclipsed by the 24-bit LPCM mono of the
Arrow Blu-ray.
The Raven
has plenty of effects that come through with modest depth
and another excellent score by
Les Baxter (Master
of the World,
How
To Stuff a Wild Bikini,
Switchblade
Sisters, The
Man With the X-Ray Eyes,
The
Comedy of Terrors,
Panic in the Year Zero, US version of
Baron Blood,
The Beast Within) sounding clean with consistent dialogue
in the lossless transfer. Kino offer optional English
subtitles on their Region 'A'
Blu-ray.
The Kino
Blu-ray
The Arrow Raven
Blu-ray
has substantial supplements including an hour-long German documentary -
Peter Lorre: The Double Face. It was made by Harun Farocki in
1984 and subtitled in English and is a competent examination of the
actors entire career, from Lorre's early days in the theatre with
Bertholt Brecht to his untimely death in 1964. There is a 61/2 minute
interview with the legendary novelist and screenwriter Richard Matheson
and an 8-minute interview with Roger Corman about making The Raven
and the comedy found in the film. The Trick is another a short
film by Rob Green. This is about rival magicians and runs just over a
dozen minutes. There is an audio-only reading for 6-minutes promoting
the film, a stills and poster gallery and a trailer.
"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I
pondered, weak and weary, / Over many a quaint and curious volume of
forgotten lore,/ While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a
tapping, / As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. /
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door. / Only
this and nothing more."
Roger Corman's The Raven
has very cool, if juvenile, effects, grand Gothic sets and iconic
stars... but the talking bird and Lorre in the Raven costume were
just over-the-top for me - it really dampened my anticipatory mood I may
have had in my initial viewing - I still enjoyed it and certainly I was
more forgiving as a child. So, yeah, it is a comedy with fantasy/horror
elements. I can appreciate that. The stand-alone Kino Blu-ray
gives us the new commentary, improved video (which is impacting) and the
handsome packaging. Nostalgic fans should see enough value to indulge.
|
Menus / Extras
Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
1) Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE
Box Cover |
|
|
OUR REVIEW: |
Bonus Captures: |
|
Distribution | Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray | Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Search DVDBeaver |
S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |